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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26569000">Super Amazing Project: Unsolved</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola'>yikesola</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, M/M, buzzfeed unsolved au, passing references to true crime and haunting cases</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:40:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26569000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They find a hallway once they’re inside with a big, wide, broken window. It lets in more than enough light to film and the shot of the graffitied wall behind them is interesting. Phil sets up the tripod. They stand in frame, a safe foot of space between them. They both clear their throats. “Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of <i>The Super Amazing Project!</i>”<br/>A fic about canon divergence and hauntings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dan Howell/Phil Lester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written for the <a href="http://phandombigbang.tumblr.com">phandombigbang</a>, betaed by the very patient <a href="http://yourfriendlyblogstalker.tumblr.com">yourfriendlyblogstalker</a> and accompanied by the lovely <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com/post/629815826023890944/hey-everyone-this-is-for-the">art</a> by <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com">rainbowchristy</a>. <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815963419885568/heres-a-list-of-the-cases-i-mentioned-in-super">here</a> is a list for wikis of all cases mentioned</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s snowy, like the first time they were here. Dan’s even wearing the same hat. He feels less nervous this time, though. Probably because he knows what to expect at the old abandoned hospital, whereas last time he had put every bit of energy into trying to convince Phil he was perfectly calm. A cool guy who could explore a definitely haunted area and not wee himself because ghosts aren’t even real anyway, right? The kinda guy who Phil could forgive an age gap and three-hour train ride difference for. </p><p>He thinks it’s crazy that all that was three years ago now. Back then, he had spent every possible moment at the Lesters’ house. Even going so far as to take a train south for Christmas the night before. This year the actual holiday is already three days gone but Dan and Phil are running through the snow, soaked jeans and all. </p><p>Phil points the camera at Dan just in time to capture him falling. “Thanks for that,” Dan laughs. “No urge to help me, huh? Just watch and film me die, what a good friend!” </p><p>He’s careful about his phrasing. They always are when there is a camera around. <i>Friend</i> is always safe, and not even a lie. </p><p>They find a hallway once they’re inside with a big, wide, broken window. It lets in more than enough light to film and the shot of the graffitied wall behind them is interesting. </p><p>Phil sets up the tripod. They stand in frame, a safe foot of space between them. They both clear their throats. </p><p>“Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of <i>The Super Amazing Project!</i>” Dan says in his camera voice. “Now… you may have noticed something.” </p><p>“Dan, we’re not in our apartment,” Phil frowns and looks around. </p><p>“Nope, we definitely aren’t. We’re messy, but I don’t think we’re <i>this</i> messy,” Dan laughs, pointing to the vague piles of litter and broken things around them. </p><p>“Well, we’d better tell them where we are,” Phil opens his arms wide. “Today we’re doing something completely different, we’re doing away with all the usual segments and we’re coming to you live—”</p><p>“—Phil, Phil, this isn’t live!” </p><p>“No, okay, it’s not live, but live <i>for us</i> right now—”</p><p>“—So like, how videos work?” </p><p>“Yes, exactly.” Phil is barely containing his giggles. Dan can tell, and it makes it harder to contain his own. “We’re coming to you on location.” </p><p>“Which location, Phil?” </p><p>“A haunted location!” Phil opens his eyes wide and waggles his fingers towards the camera.</p><p>“So he says,” Dan points to Phil with his thumb. “I’d just say an old, abandoned location.” </p><p>“How is that any different from haunted?” </p><p>Dan rolls his eyes. “Because ghosts are, at best, a metaphor for humanity’s reluctance to face mortality. Definitely not actual physical manifestations that hang out in derelict buildings.” </p><p>Phil crosses his arms. “Take note, viewers. This is Dan’s stance <i>before</i> we do a little exploring. He’ll come round to the truth eventually.” </p><p>“<i>The truth</i>” Dan smiles. “Yeah, okay, sure.” </p><p>-</p><p>It is well past dark by the time they’re back in Phil’s childhood home. They have loads of footage to sort through and edit, but first they have a hot dinner to help warm their numb limbs. </p><p>Phil brings up Dan screaming and running towards the exit when they found what was most likely a fake anatomy skeleton, but which was propped up in a rusty wheelchair and posed in front of graffiti reading <i>They’re coming</i> with the writing trailing off and what looked like bloody handprints streaked down the hall. </p><p>“Oh, Dan,” Kath laughs. “That’s Haunted House 101, isn’t it?” </p><p>“Look,” Dan says, facing his plate and with his face bright red, “it was the atmosphere or something, I just freaked out for a moment and then I was totally fine.” </p><p>“Yes, he was a very brave boy,” Phil laughs. </p><p>Dan kicks him under the table. Phil kicks him back and keeps smiling. </p><p>“If you weren’t running from ghouls, then what were you running from, Howell?” </p><p>“The… everything? It’s a scary place, Phil, ghosts don’t need to be real for a place to be scary.” </p><p>“So it’ll be a good video, you think?” Nigel asks. He’s eaten faster than everyone else at the table and sitting back with his arms folded across his chest. </p><p>Dan nods. “Should be.” </p><p>“It’ll be different anyway,” Phil says. “Not just the same old thing of us sitting in the lounge talking about weird news stories and laser pet eyes.” </p><p>-</p><p>When the video is edited, uploaded, and behind them, Dan and Phil are glad it was the season finale. It was something a little special to cap off, and they didn’t have to feel guilty for not wanting to make more of the old videos just yet. </p><p>They probably will, in a bit. They still have videos for their main channels to focus on, and just the general questions of what they’re doing with their lives and careers, so it’s nice not to have to dig up new stories of two headed animals for a little while. </p><p>Phil turned down an internship which would’ve perfectly made use of his masters degree a while back. Dan’s been officially dropped out of law school for months. They decided to put all their eggs in the YouTube basket, but what the hell does that mean other than… keep making YouTube videos? Other than trying to get brand deals and collaborations. Other than trying to prove to people accustomed to traditional media that what they do is worthwhile, even if it’s on that website with the cat videos. </p><p>They’ve had a little luck with that. The BBC had them do a one hour special for Christmas. An in with the BBC is a powerful card they don’t want to burn. </p><p>Especially not when the person who had reached out to them for the Christmas special shows up in Phil’s email late February. </p><p>
  <i>Hello Phil—<br/>
Hope the holidays were lovely for you. Been busy here in London, all to be expected. I wanted to thank you again for the work you and Dan put into your segment, and to reach out because of a potential opportunity regarding your ghost hunting video. Please let me know if you’d be interested in hearing what ideas we have. Cheers</i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading— come say hi on <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815604230127616/super-amazing-project-unsolved">tumblr</a> !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Passing Years</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written for the <a href="http://phandombigbang.tumblr.com">phandombigbang</a>, betaed by the very patient <a href="http://yourfriendlyblogstalker.tumblr.com">yourfriendlyblogstalker</a> and accompanied by the lovely <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com/post/629815826023890944/hey-everyone-this-is-for-the">art</a> by <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com">rainbowchristy</a>. <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815963419885568/heres-a-list-of-the-cases-i-mentioned-in-super">here</a> is a list for wikis of all cases mentioned</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>London is hotter than Manchester was. It’s louder and dirtier and Phil hardly knows his way around yet. But he’s starting to think of the flat he and Dan have lived in for two months now as home. And it helps that he has something familiar to be working on, Super Amazing Project, even if it looks a hell of a lot different than it did this time last year. He’s piecing together the outline for their next episode when Dan comes into the office with two ribenas in his hands. </p><p>“Take a break,” he says, offering Phil a glass. </p><p>Phil pushes his glasses up his forehead as he runs his hands over his face. “Thanks,” he says. </p><p>“You’ve been at it for hours,” Dan says as he sits in the red armchair beside the desk.</p><p>“We can’t change the studio time tomorrow. I have to have this ready.” </p><p>“Not used to working on someone’s schedule besides your own, huh?” Dan grins. </p><p>“You’d think some of that research skill from uni would’ve stuck around.” </p><p>“Not a chance,” Dan laughs. He looks over at the computer screen but Phil clicks out of the window before he gets a chance to see. “Not even a hint?” </p><p>“I want your real reaction,” Phil laughs.</p><p>“You can tell me <i>something</i>!” </p><p>Phil takes another sip of his drink. It’s cool. He can feel it all the way down his throat. “Your inner theatre kid is gonna have a field day,” he says. </p><p>Dan reaches with his long leg to poke Phil in the side with his toes. “Should I brush up on my Benvolio?” </p><p>-</p><p>“Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of <i>The Super Amazing Project!</i>” Phil says in his AmazingPhil voice. All this time later, Dan still isn’t totally immune to the fluttering in his stomach when he hears Phil make that shift. He loves that he gets to hear all of Phil’s voices. He loves knowing the differences. </p><p>“You may notice, we’re not in our lounge,” Dan says. </p><p>“Again,” Phil laughs. “I don’t actually think we’ll be going back to filming in the lounge, unless there’s something crazy like all of the BBC studios flooding.” </p><p>“Which, thankfully, we don’t have to worry about for another, what, five years?” </p><p>“Climate,” Phil nods. He’s got that little <i>just-told-a-joke</i> pout. If they were filming at home, Dan wouldn’t be able to resist leaning over to give him a kiss that they’d later edit out. As is, he holds back. </p><p>“No actually,” Phil goes on. “We’re in our fancy filming space.” He waves his hands around. It’s actually just a black room with a table they’re sat behind. It doesn’t deserve the fanfare of being called fancy. </p><p>“It’s a work in progress,” Dan says. </p><p>“We’ve only just moved! Give us a little time.” </p><p>“Mr. Clutter will have this area covered top to bottom in no time.” </p><p>Phil kicks Dan under the table. The whole thing moves. “Anyways,” Phil says pointedly, “do you wanna hear about today’s case or not, Dan?” </p><p>“Lay it on me.” </p><p>“Okay.” Phil flips open his file folder. He wanted to look official, not just have notes on his phone he referred to constantly. “1663, Drury Lane…”</p><p>“The muffin man?” Dan chimes in. </p><p>“Shut up,” Phil laughs. “A theatre,” he waggles his eyebrows, “A <i>haunted</i> theatre!” </p><p>“Are you really willing to bet that, Lester, when we literally went to see <i>Shrek The Musical</i> there?” </p><p>“Are you saying you weren’t haunted by that performance?” </p><p>“Get <i>on</i> with it!” Dan laughs, as though he isn’t the one who keeps interrupting. </p><p>-</p><p>Phil is tired, but too sweaty to sleep. But also he’s too tired to get up and shower. That just leaves him, here, on his wicker bed a miserable mess. They had earlier filmed background on the haunted Theatre Royal, and last night they filmed crawling around the place until just before sunup. The middle of the night shoots are more exhausting than they should be considering their usual sleep schedules. Maybe just being out of the house at that hour is enough to exhaust. </p><p>Now they just have to edit the video. Which he really thinks he should start doing because then it’ll be done sooner. But maybe, for the sake of his sanity, he’ll wait until tomorrow. </p><p>Then he remembers he doesn’t just work for himself anymore. </p><p>That’s hard to get used to. </p><p>This video series is backed by the BBC. And the BBC likes deadlines. </p><p>Dan comes into the room and Phil can feel his rage radiating. Something’s happened. Phil can guess what, but he’s afraid to be right. He hears Dan stop by the foot of the bed. Phil kicks his own foot out to reach for him. He feels Dan’s bare thigh. </p><p>“They won’t… <i>stop</i>,” Dan’s voice croaks. </p><p>Phil lifts his head to look at him. He hates the red, red eyes he sees. </p><p>“I’ve taken down three fucking videos today. They won’t stop reposting them.” </p><p>Phil looks at the bags under Dan’s eyes and thinks he mustn’t have slept at all since they got back from the theater. At least Phil conked out for two hours. But Dan probably felt too wired, too spooked from whatever shadows his brain convinced him were the scary things he doesn’t even believe in. So he went online. And found things that hurt him. Found reposted videos of something that had been private, and theirs, and which now just mocks them with vulnerabilities they hadn’t wanted to display. Dan looks so frail and angry and like one of the ghosts they’d been looking for. </p><p>Sometimes Phil hates that he isn’t better at words. He doesn’t know what words will make things feel better. </p><p>He rolls onto his side and holds an arm out. “C’mere,” he says. Though it’s too hot and sweaty for a cuddle, he’s offering one anyway. Dan crawls into the bed and they fold together and after a while Phil thinks Dan’s breaths are steady enough to imply he’s sleeping. He’s glad he didn’t get up to shower earlier after all. </p><p>-</p><p>The only thing that Dan enjoys about covering the Enfield Poltergeist is that he can tease Phil about their age difference. </p><p>“Okay, so take me back. It’s Halloween 1992, I’m a charming and precocious one year old and you’re some alien five year old who is up way past his bedtime.” </p><p>“Yes, exactly!” Phil laughs.</p><p>It’s almost Halloween as they’re recording this, which seemed fitting. Dan’s mostly pleased that he’s going to appear less sweaty on camera than he does in the summer months. Plus they’re always a little more excited about autumn. Something about the aesthetics and the flavoured drinks and the falling in love during autumn will do that. </p><p>Dan is trying to focus. To be present. To not let the camera see that he hasn’t felt like a person for the last several days. He’s getting better at faking it. Or maybe he’s just getting worse at telling the difference. He isn’t all that sure. </p><p>But he needs the filming to go well, he needs to let Phil tell him about the mockumentary that affected British censorship laws to this day and about the 1977 haunting it was all based on. He needs to bant and react the way a normal person bants and reacts. He can go back to laying on the floor of their hallway in a few hours. That’s the image he holds on to. He can go back to expecting nothing of himself and having no one expect anything of him. If he just does what he has to do right now. </p><p>“So these girls were 11 and 13 when this was happening in the 70s,” Phil goes on. “I think we can all agree that… girls are just haunted then?” </p><p>“Yeah,” Dan fakes a laugh. “Just point me to an eleven year old girl and she’s a witch. That’s when the witch phase is at its peak.”  </p><p>A few more minutes pass and he realises he hasn’t been listening to what Phil is saying. He’s been staring at one of the nicknacks on the desk. He’s been trapped in his own head. </p><p>He hopes it won’t show on camera. He hopes they can just zoom in on Phil or have some animations happening over the audio. </p><p>He tries to jump back into what’s happening. Phil is saying, “I don’t think you can fake that! You can fake a lot of this, but a little girl levitating?” </p><p>“Yeah no, wires definitely weren’t invented in the 70s,” Dan says. He rolls his eyes with an extra dramatic flair to make up for zoning out. </p><p>-</p><p>“It’s weird to be somewhere that like actual ghost hunters have gone as well,” Phil laughs. “Like we’re so clearly underqualified.” </p><p>Dan nudges his shoulder. Phil wants to pull him closer, but knows better. Knows the omnipresent camera is rolling. “You don’t need qualifications to be a fucking ghost hunter.” </p><p>Phil stands in the unlit hallway entrance in the Enfield house and feels a little giddy joy. This is satisfying a childhood want he didn’t know he’d been wanting. “Any demons out tonight?” he calls. “Any horny boys?” </p><p>“Horny boys?!” Dan laughs, high picked and incredulous. </p><p>“They’ve got horns, Dan!” Phil laughs. “What else would you call them?” </p><p>“Literally anything else!” Dan nudges Phil to get him walking further inside. Phil’s glad he made Dan laugh. He could already tell that Dan’s nerves were getting the better of him, and there’s a lot of house to crawl through. </p><p>-</p><p>Dan insists they sleep in his bedroom with the fairy lights on that night. He’s not <i>scared</i> of the Enfield poltergeist because poltergeists aren’t fucking real. He’s just… he’d rather have the lights on. </p><p>Phil is already asleep and his head on Dan’s chest, but Dan always takes longer to wind down from night shoots. Especially on location. So he’s going through his email on his phone, weeks on unread emails he gets a little anxious just thinking about. Which is why they just keep building. </p><p>He sorts through spam and business offers that he will bring up to Phil in the morning. They’re in this weird crossroads where they’re afraid to say no to almost any opportunity that comes by— London is expensive and they don’t exactly have the greatest job security. But they’re also afraid of doing something to upset the niche field they’ve locked themselves in. As the <i>SAP: Unsolved</i> guys. As <i>Dan&amp;Phil</i>. So opportunities are weighed carefully. </p><p>He also sees an email from his mum that was sent about two weeks ago. He thinks that’s strange. She could have just texted him. He would’ve gotten sweaty the second he saw the text and tried ignoring it for an hour or two and then it would’ve turned out to be nothing, but still. </p><p>Better than the email sitting ignored. </p><p>He opens it and sees she had sent the damn thing in the middle of the night. It’s short. She sounds upset. Some stuff about <i>you know how your father is</i> and Adrian being really distant lately. </p><p>He doesn’t know what to do with it. He doesn’t know what his mum was expecting. They’re not the kind of people that… <i>share</i> like this. </p><p>It takes a few minutes for him to even click the reply button. Then he mulls over any number of things that he could say but just settles on sending “<i>mum, you okay?</i>” </p><p>She texts him back instead of an email. “<i>We’re separating</i>,” she says. “<i>It’s for the best</i>.” </p><p>Dan supposes it is. And he supposes he isn’t exactly surprised. But he still has tears in his eyes when he texts her back, “<i>i’m sorry</i>”</p><p>-</p><p>“This is going to be a great episode,” Phil smiles. He opens his arms wide and knocks a few things off the desk but soon they get the set back to rights. “I love these episodes, because we don’t have to fight.” </p><p>“Right,” Dan says, “This isn’t one of those <i>are you a logical, realistic person who believes in science or are you Phil?</i> kind of episodes.” </p><p>Phil’s trying to look affronted but he’s sure there’s actually a different emotion on his face entirely. He’s never had perfect acting skills. “I’m celebrating the fact that we’re still buzzing from seeing <i>The Martian</i> who very kindly sponsored this video—”</p><p>“—more on that in a minute.” </p><p>Phil nods. “We’re talking about aliens!” </p><p>“Which, unlike ghosts, <i>are</i> real,” Dan says. </p><p>“Now why, why is that the line for you. What if ghosts are just aliens on earth?” </p><p>Dan’s face cracks into a wide smile. That smile that’s been showing up more now that Dan’s seeing a new therapist. Phil’s so fucking glad to see it. “That makes no sense, and you know it!” </p><p>They get into the meat of the video, talking about December of 1980 where many people reported unexplained lights in the sky near a US airbase. They go back and forth about what would be more terrifying, alien intervention or American experimentation. He’s almost done explaining the final theory to Dan when he feels his phone go off in his pocket. He’s sure his face is bright red; he really thought he had turned it off before filming. </p><p>The sound guy in the corner of the room signals for a cut. Phil apologizes and pulls his phone out of his pocket to see his mum’s name on the screen. Dan sees it too. </p><p>“Quick break?” he asks. </p><p>Phil wants to. He really wants to. He knows his dad had another chemo treatment today and is really hoping that his mum is calling to tell him it went fine. But there’s always a lot of fear in the back of his mind that he’s going to be told something else. </p><p>But they’re almost done filming. </p><p>And he doesn’t want to have to get into the details of why this call is so important in front of people he only knows in this context. </p><p>“No,” he says, “we can wrap up first.” </p><p>He hopes he doesn’t look too distracted as they sign off. He hopes he actually manages to tell a few jokes and keep his face the placid mask he wants his online persona to be. </p><p>-</p><p>“I don’t want to go to an <i>actual</i> forest, Phil,” Dan pouts over Skype. “You know I have a thing with trees!” </p><p>“Of course I do,” Phil smiles, “and I think the viewers would love to see you slowly lose your mind over a pine needle snapping.” </p><p>“I hate you,” Dan says. His tone implies otherwise. The softness of his smile implies otherwise. </p><p>“I miss you,” Phil says, because it’s true. He’s been on the Isle of Man for four days now, visiting his family and cheering up his dad and trying to keep his own panic at bay. Even if his dad looks more tired than a person has any right to look, even if he’s weak and worn out, just seeing him reminds Phil that he’s here. He’s here, he’s right in front of him. That’s something. He’s been needing that reminder a lot lately. </p><p>But he does still miss Dan. And working on the <i>Super Amazing Project</i> because it is a little unusual to have so many days in a row where he isn’t working on it. They’ve thrown their everything into the show so much that coming up for air feels a little too exposed. </p><p>“Sappiness won’t convince me to visit Rendlesham Forest, you know,” Dan says. He leans back on his bed and Phil feels that same yearning he did years ago. That <i>you’re too fucking far away</i> yearning that he thankfully doesn’t have to deal with except for short trips like this. </p><p>“If you go, I’ll let you do that thing,” Phil says suggestively. </p><p>The corner of Dan’s mouth quirks up. “What thing, idiot?” </p><p>They both loudly laugh. “I was hoping you’d come up with something. Just fill in the blank!” </p><p>Dan mutters, “I’ll fill in your mum’s blank!” </p><p>“I’m telling her you said that unless you go to the forest,” Phil threatens between giggles. </p><p>-</p><p>Phil is already home when Dan gets back from therapy. It’s only a difference of half an hour or so, but he’s feeling so raw from his session and from not seeing Phil for a week that he bursts into full tears when he gets his arms around him. </p><p>It feels good to have a big cry like this. He’s so glad he isn’t currently feeling that pervasive numbness. Not all the time. Not right now. </p><p>“Hey, dork,” Phil says into the crook of Dan’s neck. </p><p>“Hey,” he says, voice choked. </p><p>“You should come next time.” Phil pulls back so they can kiss. “He’d like to see you. They all would.” </p><p>Dan doesn’t like to think about what would happen if a fan took a photo of them waiting for a plane to the Isle of Man together. He doesn’t like that everyone knows perfectly well that’s where Phil’s parents live. He doesn’t like that he’d have no good excuse for going other than they’re his fucking in-laws and one of them is very very sick. </p><p>“Yeah,” he says, because it’s still a hypothetical. Maybe when the opportunity comes, he’ll feel a little braver. </p><p>_</p><p>“Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of <i>The Super Amazing Project!</i>,” Phil says. “As you can see by my attire,” he says while fiddling with the collar of his love heart button up shirt, “This is a special Valentine’s Day episode.” </p><p>“How do you make a paranormal and true crime series have a Valentine’s Day episode, Phil?” Dan asks, dressed in his usual black. </p><p>“By adding <i>murder</i>!” </p><p>“Well, we cover a lot of murder…” </p><p>“A Valentine’s Day murder!” </p><p>They pause for a beat where the logo will be added later. Phil has every intention of photoshopping hearts around it. He’s spent enough years tiptoeing around the Hallmark holiday. He wants to look the camera in the eye and say the words <i>Valentine’s Day</i> and not feel like he’s going to pass out. </p><p>“Specifically the murder of Charles Walton,” he continues. “This murder has everything. Pitchforks, eighty year olds, possible witchcraft.”</p><p>“You know how to sell it, Philly,” Dan laughs. Phil lets himself look a beat longer than he used to.</p><p>“And stay tuned after the episode for a special announcement,” Phil says, turning back to the camera. He had almost forgotten. This video is risky in more ways than one.  </p><p>-</p><p>They’ve both changed out of the shirts they were wearing for the video. Now they’re sporting merch that fits a little stiff in the way new screen printed clothing does. Shirts with dates listed down the back and a map of the United Kingdom on the front. Drawings of red pins and strings connect different locations dotting the map. </p><p>“We’re going on tour!” they both shout to the camera in sync. </p><p>“It’s kind of a double ended…”</p><p>“Sword,” Dan shakes his head, “please say sword. Double ended sword.” </p><p>“Yeah, sure,” Phil shrugs, and Dan knows he just loves getting a rise out of him. </p><p>“Two segments,” Dan tries salvaging. “One part, filming on location. More hauntings that aren’t just London and London-adjacent.” </p><p>“And, live shows!” Phil beams. “Just basically the part where I tell Dan about a haunted thing only now there’s you in the audience hearing about it too.” </p><p>Dan’s suddenly very nervous. He doesn’t know how to convey in this small chunk they’re filming for the end of a regular video how hard they’ve worked on this. Researching the locations and getting permission to go there. Negotiating budgets with the BBC and convincing them it was something worth putting money into. He and Phil want it to be the current show, and more. And he just hopes they’re doing a good job of explaining it. </p><p>-</p><p>Phil has been on the internet long enough to know not to put too much stock in other people’s opinions of him. There’s areas where he has to, like he has to make sure sponsors won’t drop him and he has to make sure he is only saying things he actually believes in. But it’s been a long time since a comment about his bird nose upset him, or a slur made him panic over how much space is between his shoulder and Dan’s. </p><p>The general response to the tour is something else entirely. People are furious. The viewers are calling them sellouts and gossip blogs are calling it a cash grab. People are pointing out there are only two Welsh locations, even though Phil tried negotiating with so many vendors and this was all they could do. People are saying announcing it during a Valentines episode was queerbaiting. </p><p>He can’t even begin to untangle the mental gymnastics of that. </p><p>But his anxiety wants him to try. His anxiety wants to go up to every single person who is upset and ask, “What did I do? Why don’t you like this?” Because he likes it. He was so excited to work on it, to plan the stops and the cases and research new gadgets. </p><p>He hates that Dan was also so upset by the response. Dan got into one of his terribly low moods and said they should just cancel the whole thing. “If no one fucking cares then why are we bothering?” he had said. </p><p>They aren’t going to, of course. There’s too many people working on this now, not just Dan and Phil plonking away on their laptops. They need the work too. </p><p>Besides, Phil figures, maybe it was just the shock. They haven’t done anything new for a while. Not since the move. Maybe people just got very comfortable with the same sort of content. </p><p>He hears the front door open and close. Dan is back from his walk. “Met a fan,” he says when he gets to the lounge. “Took a selfie.” </p><p>Phil nods. It’s more rare that they’re recognized when they’re out alone. Together, it’s hard to mistake two awkward giraffes with emo fringes and black skinny jeans. Alone, it would probably take a proper fan to spot them. </p><p>Dan takes the drizzle-spotted beanie off his head. His hair has started to curl a little. “She said she’s from Brighton. Already bought a ticket to the show.” His smile is slow, like he hasn’t realised he’s doing it. “Said she’s really looking forward to it.” </p><p>“Brighton will be good,” Phil says. “Torso murders.” </p><p>“You’re a freak,” Dan laughs and throws the beanie at Phil’s head. </p><p>-</p><p>Ireland is lovely. Dan knows Phil was here ages ago to film Apartment Red. It feels like a completely different lifetime, he thinks, when he was waiting by his phone for <i>the</i> AmazingPhil to text him back after a few hours of filming. Now, between their main channels and the tour, they’re filming so many videos he wishes he had a little of that old energy. </p><p>The energy is the only thing he wants from back then. He’s beyond happy with everything else. Mostly everything else. He could do without the expectations. Both the BBC and the audience seem to have plenty of them. The BBC wants them to sign longer and longer contracts, to let go of more and more control. Dan and Phil don’t want that, but they don’t know how much longer they can keep saying no. The audience wants to see more of the same from them. More of the same, but also not to get boring. Not to get formulaic. As though they’re ever gonna find an actual ghost. Ghosts would have to <i>exist</i> for that to happen, first of all. </p><p>Still, it’s easy to set aside those worries on tour. Every minute is accounted for on tour, and Dan doesn’t have to pay creative dread any mind if he’s got a million other things on the list first. Like walking through Ballygally Castle and listening to Phil tell him about the supposed hauntings. </p><p>“So this is the room where Lady Shaw was supposedly locked in and starved by her husband,” Phil says. He points the light across the room. “And that’s the window she jumped out of when he wouldn’t let her out.” </p><p>Dan goes over by the window and looks down. It’s quite a drop. “Ain’t that just like a man,” he says. He sees Phil pull the spirit box out of his bag. “Please, no,” he whines. </p><p>“Dan hates this,” Phil smiles to the camera. </p><p>“I hate this.” </p><p>“I’m still gonna try it!” Phil turns it on. The rapid flip between radio frequencies fills the room, annoying static, nothing to do with the supernatural. </p><p>“When did Lady Shaw die?” Dan asks. </p><p>“I dunno, 1600s.” </p><p>“So she doesn’t even know what radio <i>is</i>!” Dan covers his ears. “Turn that stupid thing off.” </p><p>The spirit box makes a noise. Something different from the constant noise it’s already making. </p><p>“Did you hear that?” Phil asks, his eyes wide. </p><p>“The garbled nothing? Yeah, I heard it.” </p><p>“It sounded like a word,” Phil says, but he turns the box off anyways. “I’ll hear it in post.” </p><p>“Or you’ll convince yourself, like you always do.” He rolls his eyes. Nice and big for the camera. Then he turns back to the window. If he angles his head, he can see without the glare of the room reflecting back at him. The grounds are pretty, even in the middle of the night. He hopes he and Phil get a chance to explore them tomorrow. </p><p>-</p><p>They spread the tour out over a few seasons. It’s the only chance they really had of convincing the BBC to pay for it all. Even though <i>Super Amazing Project: Unsolved</i> is clearly the moneymaker in their online division, they’re still a traditional media company who likes to drag their feet on trying new things. </p><p>It’s driving Phil mad. He wants to try a million new things, and even if they fail he wants to know how and why and that he tried. It’s not that he doesn’t love making the show. It’s that the show is basically all he and Dan have been doing for years now. </p><p>This means they don’t actually get out on the road for almost another year. But once they are, It’s easy to ignore most of their frustrations on the Scottish shore. It’s easy to ignore a lot of things, like how his back aches more than it did when he was twenty. And like how good Dan’s curly hair looks now that he doesn’t straighten it, but he isn’t supposed to stare while the cameras are rolling. </p><p>He stares anyways. They’ve been loosening the reins over time. Slowly. Surely. So he stares. </p><p>“I’m glad we’re finally doing a lighthouse,” Dan says. </p><p>“Yeah?” Phil feels how big his own smile is. </p><p>“Yeah,” Dan nods. “I mean, if anything is going to be haunted, my money’s on a lighthouse.” </p><p>Phil resists teasing. He puts on his dramatic voice and begins to tell the story of the three lighthouse keepers disappearing from the Flannen Isle light in 1900. Just as he’s telling Dan about the spooky detail of the men’s untouched dinner that was still left on the table, Dan shrieks and jumps back. </p><p>“What?” Phil jumps too. </p><p>“That bat was straight up going for your ass,” Dan tells him. The island is full of bats this time of night; Phil really isn’t surprised. “It was an ass bat,” Dan goes on. </p><p>Phil bites back a retort about the bat and Dan having something in common. He’s good at biting back things like that. An old muscle. But it’s a shame. Would’ve been a good joke. </p><p>-</p><p>They walk around the old lighthouse and Dan thinks about the apartment hunting they’re doing back in London. They’ve been in the same flat since moving down south and it’s getting to the point where they finally feel they’ve outgrown it. </p><p>This old place is far more rustic than anything they’ve been looking at. But it’s nice to dream. To imagine, for half a moment before he thinks about how ill-suited they both actually are, about a cottagecore life he could live with Phil. Northern and windy and remote. With whitewashed floors and a fireplace almost as tall as they are. </p><p>Phil sticks his head in the old fireplace and comes out with a million cobwebs coating his hair. </p><p>“You look ridiculous,” Dan laughs as he goes to pull them out. It’s more… something, than they would usually be on camera. </p><p>More intimate. More sincere. </p><p>But he pushes that old fear aside in the same moment he pushes Phil’s fringe aside. “There,” he says. “Now we can hunt ghosts with the light of your forehead.” </p><p>-</p><p>They genuinely don’t know if their London liveshow is going to be the last video on <i>Super Amazing Project: Unsolved</i>. They announce it afterwards as a hiatus, and they mean to come back if and when it feels right. In the meantime, they want to give a good show with the Thames torso murders as a companion episode to their Brighton trunk murders which they covered a few years back. It felt right to end on a true crime episode considering much of the tour had been focused on the supernatural. And it felt right to end on an episode where they wouldn’t have much arguing. </p><p>Phil is happy with the episode. He’s happy with the research and the live audience and the way the edit came out. He’s less happy with the frantic response to the hiatus, but he also can’t blame them. He isn’t exactly the greatest with change himself. This is the only video after he cut off his emo fringe, after all. </p><p>But he also knows it’s the right move. He knows he and Dan were never going to focus on life things as long as there were tours and big bosses and endless commitments to distract themselves with. Now there’s no distractions. </p><p>There’s just each other and the fact that Phil can make main channel videos when he likes and that Dan can come out to his family at his pace and that Phil drops the news that he wants a fish one day with very little preamble. Just a link to a rescue betta that he’s already quite in love with. When Dan complains the whole time he starts researching the best setup for a tank, Phil is a little embarrassed by the tears that well up in his eyes. He’s more emotional than he used to be, but this is a bit much. </p><p>-</p><p>Dan’s coming out video makes a few off-handed references to the ghost hunting channel. He jokes that ghosts aren’t real but his internalized homophobia sure as hell was. He says that if the ghost tiddies of haunted brothels weren't going to make him straight, nothing would. But he also likes that there’s a bit of space between when they were constantly making content for <i>Unsolved</i> and when he manages to come out on his terms. </p><p>On his extra, lengthy, meticulously-edited terms. </p><p>He’s also happy that when Phil posts his own coming out video a few weeks later, it’s comfortable and conversational and so damn Phil. He’s relieved they didn’t try to make it a joint thing, to try to blend it with the ghost hunting aesthetic, as they’d talked about from time to time. </p><p>It doesn’t feel real, being out. Knowing that his grandma doesn’t hate him. Knowing that he doesn’t have to hide anymore. </p><p>A few short years before, he would’ve sooner believed the lens flares Phil tried to pass off as photographic proof of ghouls than he would believe that he could be an out gay man. That it would be okay. That he could be so happy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading— come say hi on <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815604230127616/super-amazing-project-unsolved">tumblr</a> !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written for the <a href="http://phandombigbang.tumblr.com">phandombigbang</a>, betaed by the very patient <a href="http://yourfriendlyblogstalker.tumblr.com">yourfriendlyblogstalker</a> and accompanied by the lovely <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com/post/629815826023890944/hey-everyone-this-is-for-the">art</a> by <a href="http://rainbowchristy.tumblr.com">rainbowchristy</a>. <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815963419885568/heres-a-list-of-the-cases-i-mentioned-in-super">here</a> is a list for wikis of all cases mentioned</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phil has genuinely forgotten the password to the <i>Super Amazing Project: Unsolved</i> YouTube channel when their old contact at the BBC reaches out to them asking to film a short segment for a COVID-19 related digital variety show. If the proceeds weren’t all going to the NHS, they might have turned the offer down. </p><p>Pure nerves, really. They haven’t actually appeared onscreen together since before coming out a few months back. They maybe meant to… but the pandemic threw a lot of projects into the bin. </p><p>Still, Dan says he’s up to it and Phil knows he wouldn’t have said so if he didn’t mean it. </p><p>There’s something wonderfully familiar about sitting at their dining table and setting up the camera. It’s quaint. It’s like the old days, before the bigger budgets and larger audiences. It’s familiar, even if it’s been so long. </p><p>“So, Dan,” Phil starts, “I picked a very special case for this very special episode.” </p><p>“Yeah?” Dan laughs, completely ignoring the lens. Looking right at Phil. </p><p>“Yeah,” Phil nods, trying to remember how to do this. Surely he remembers. It was such a long chunk of his life. “The Mowing Devil!” he says in a wavering tone with dramatic hand waving. </p><p>“Aliens, ghosts, or pranksters?” Dan asks. </p><p>“Don’t give away my theories,” Phil laughs, “We’ve barely started!” </p><p>-</p><p>Dan is surprised how good it feels to be editing a video again. He’s been working on so many different projects that look so unlike what he’s used to. The old software, the old visual gags. It’s nice. He thinks he might look at that old scrap paper of second channel ideas in his desk. Maybe he could whip up a candle haul. </p><p>Phil is sat next to him on the couch. The same Phil who sat next to him nearly a decade ago when they edited a video running around an old abandoned hospital. Even his shitty posture is the same. </p><p>But a hell of a lot of things are different. </p><p>He moves his foot and nudges it into Phil’s thigh. “We have enough stuff for dinner?” </p><p>“No,” Phil says without looking up from his screen. “We should order burgers.”</p><p>“Translation: we probably do, but you want a milkshake.” Dan smiles. </p><p>“We deserve something for making such a good video,” Phil smiles back. </p><p>“He says before the video’s even finished.” </p><p>“Well, it <i>will</i> be good,” Phil says, “And until then I deserve a milkshake.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading— come say hi on <a href="http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/629815604230127616/super-amazing-project-unsolved">tumblr</a> !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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